Big & Mini
Big & Mini is a volunteer-run nonprofit platform founded in 2020 in Austin, Texas that connects older adults ("Bigs") with younger individuals ("Minis") through interest-based video calls to combat social isolation. The free service has matched 5,791+ users across 50 US states and 27+ countries, sustained by donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Big & Mini does
Big & Mini is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization founded in 2020 in Austin, Texas, with a stated mission to reduce senior and youth social isolation by connecting older adults ("Bigs") with younger individuals ("Minis") through interest-based phone and video calls. The platform operates as a self-serve, free service for individuals, with users signing up via Google Forms, completing profile setup and training modules, and being automatically matched based on shared interests, availability, and goals. Underlying technology is a web-based platform with mobile app access, secured video calling via Jitsi (open-source, DTLS-SRTP encrypted peer-to-peer), Google OAuth for authentication, and an encrypted database with restricted data exposure. The codebase spans 37,000+ lines of code. The product surface includes three components: the core Big & Mini intergenerational matching platform, the FAM (Friends and Mentors) sub-brand for individuals with cognitive and/or physical disabilities, and an Organization Dashboard for corporate and non-profit partners offering admin tools, vetted volunteer networks, and group activity scheduling. The platform is free for individual users and is sustained entirely by donations from individuals, corporations, and founders, processed through Classy.org. No funding rounds, institutional investors, or revenue figures are disclosed. Distribution is primarily through earned media coverage (Houston Chronicle, Fox, NBC, Scientific American, Yahoo, Parade), community word-of-mouth, and a career page for volunteer recruitment. The organization has connected 5,791+ users across 50 US states and 27+ countries since founding.
Big & Mini firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big & Mini
- Legal name
- Big & Mini
- Website
- https://bigandmini.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Big & Mini is a volunteer-run nonprofit platform founded in 2020 in Austin, Texas that connects older adults ("Bigs") with younger individuals ("Minis") through interest-based video calls to combat social isolation. The free service has matched 5,791+ users across 50 US states and 27+ countries, sustained by donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Big & Mini industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Virtual Volunteering Platform
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Technology Assistance & Digital Support for Seniors (HSABAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Childcare & Eldercare Caregiving Platforms (BPAMAHAJ), Community/Group Chat Platforms (BPAMACAH)
Keywords
Where Big & Mini is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Big & Mini business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donations from Individuals: The platform is free for individual users and relies on donations from individuals to sustain operations. Users can donate through the Classy.org portal.
- Corporate/Organization Partnerships: Customized solutions and volunteer base access provided to organizations, likely through partnership agreements or service arrangements.
- Volunteer-Driven Operations: Organization is run by volunteers, reducing operational costs. The platform sustains itself through volunteer efforts and donations from individuals, corporations, and founders.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Individual Access |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Big & Mini product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Big & Mini operates a free, volunteer-run virtual volunteering platform that uses interest-based matching to pair older adults ("Bigs") with younger individuals ("Minis") for one-on-one phone or video calls, with a specialized FAM (Friends and Mentors) sub-program for individuals with disabilities. The platform is sustained by individual donations and corporate/organization partnerships, and offers an enterprise-tier Organization Dashboard with vetted volunteer networks, engagement tracking, and scheduled group activities for partner organizations.
Product overview
Big & Mini operates as a unified virtual volunteering platform consisting of the core Big & Mini Platform for intergenerational connection via phone/video calls, supplemented by the FAM (Friends and Mentor) sub-brand focused on individuals with disabilities, and an Organization Dashboard module for enterprise partners to manage volunteers and track engagement. The core platform connects Bigs (older adults) with Minis (younger individuals) through an interest-based matching system, while the FAM program extends services to youth with disabilities with enhanced safety measures including dual-volunteer pairing and parent supervision options.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FAM (Friends and Mentors) Program: An extension of the main platform designed to reduce at-home isolation for individuals with cognitive and/or physical disabilities by connecting them with volunteer friends and mentors through weekly video chats.
Products and services
- Big & Mini Platform Free virtual volunteering platform that connects older adults (Bigs) with younger individuals (Minis) through interest-based matching and secure phone or video calls to combat social isolation and foster intergenerational mentorship and friendship.
- FAM Program (Friends and Mentors) Specialized program connecting children and young adults with cognitive and/or physical disabilities with volunteer friends and mentors through weekly 60-minute video chats, pairing each FAM member with two volunteer mentors.
- Organization Dashboard Admin dashboard for partner organizations to track user matches and engagement levels, view match comments, approve volunteers, and schedule customizable group activities such as Scattergories, concerts, classes, and group socials.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5,791+ individuals connected as Bigs and Minis
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Big & Mini
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Big & Mini technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Big & Mini partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- JitsicoreJitsi is the video calling platform used by Big & Mini for all video communications between matched pairs. It is a free, open-source multiplatform communication platform that provides end-to-end encrypted peer-to-peer communication using DTLS-SRTP protocol. This integration ensures secure video calls where user information, video, and calls remain protected from sender to receiver.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Big & Mini competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Eldera: Eldera pairs older adults with younger volunteers worldwide for video-based storytelling and intergenerational friendship. It overlaps almost exactly with Big & Mini's core offering (older adult + younger volunteer, video call, intergenerational connection), making it the closest functional competitor.
- Papa: Papa connects older adults with vetted "Papa Pals" for companionship, errands, and transportation, often funded by Medicare Advantage plans. It is the most direct commercial peer to Big & Mini's senior-companionship mission, differing mainly in being paid, in-person, and insurance-funded rather than free, virtual, and donation-funded.
- Mon Ami: Mon Ami provides on-demand companion and social-engagement services to seniors, with families or insurers paying for the service. It is comparable to Big & Mini in addressing senior social isolation through a tech-enabled matching layer, though Mon Ami's model is paid and predominantly in-person or video.
Broad incumbents
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Big Brothers Big Sisters is the largest US youth-mentorship organization, pairing adult volunteers ("Bigs") with young people ("Littles"). Big & Mini borrows the same naming convention and mentorship framing, but operates virtually and targets senior loneliness rather than youth-mentorship outcomes.
- AARP Foundation: AARP Foundation runs Connect2Affect and other programs addressing senior isolation at national scale. It is comparable to Big & Mini as an institutional counterparty to senior loneliness, though AARP's reach is broad advocacy and benefits support rather than one-to-one virtual matching.
Others
- StoryCorps: StoryCorps records and archives intergenerational conversations between older adults and younger listeners. It shares Big & Mini's core ritual of one-to-one cross-generational conversation and storytelling, though StoryCorps is content- and archive-led rather than an ongoing companionship platform.
- Generations United: Generations United is an intergenerational advocacy coalition that promotes policies and programs connecting older and younger people. It is a thematic peer that validates and amplifies the market category Big & Mini operates in, though it does not run a direct-matching platform.
- Galaxy Digital / Benevity: Benevity is a leading corporate volunteer-and-giving platform used by enterprises to manage employee volunteering and grants. It is comparable to Big & Mini's Organization tier (admin dashboards for vetted volunteer networks), but operates as B2B CSR infrastructure rather than a consumer-facing companionship product.
Emerging players
- Cyber-Seniors: Cyber-Seniors provides free tech training and intergenerational mentorship that pairs youth volunteers with older adults. It overlaps with Big & Mini's mission of bridging generations via technology, though the focus is more on digital literacy than open-ended companionship.
Regional players
- IOOV (International Outreach for Older Volunteers): IOOV facilitates virtual volunteer visits between isolated seniors and screened volunteers worldwide, often partnering with senior-living operators. It is a direct functional analogue to Big & Mini in the senior-engagement space, with a heavier emphasis on institutional partnerships.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Big & Mini social profiles
Digital presenceBig & Mini compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Big & Mini financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big & Mini leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Big & Mini funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big & Mini M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Big & Mini
What does Big & Mini do?
Big & Mini operates a free, volunteer-run virtual volunteering platform that uses interest-based matching to pair older adults ("Bigs") with younger individuals ("Minis") for one-on-one phone or video calls, with a specialized FAM (Friends and Mentors) sub-program for individuals with disabilities. The platform is sustained by individual donations and corporate/organization partnerships, and offers an enterprise-tier Organization Dashboard with vetted volunteer networks, engagement tracking, and scheduled group activities for partner organizations.
Is Big & Mini a public or private company?
Big & Mini is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Big & Mini founded?
Big & Mini was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Big & Mini based?
Big & Mini is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Big & Mini make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations from Individuals are the primary driver. The others are corporate/Organization Partnerships and volunteer-Driven Operations.
Who are Big & Mini's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Eldera, Papa and Mon Ami. Broad incumbents are Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and AARP Foundation. Others are StoryCorps, Generations United and Galaxy Digital / Benevity. Cyber-Seniors is listed as an emerging player. IOOV (International Outreach for Older Volunteers) is listed as a regional player.
Does Big & Mini have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big & Mini.
What industry is Big & Mini in?
Big & Mini's product category is Virtual Volunteering Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSABAAAH, Technology Assistance & Digital Support for Seniors, with a secondary code of BPAMAHAJ, Childcare & Eldercare Caregiving Platforms. Its NAICS code is 624120 and its SIC code is 8300.